Highlights from the Rotary International Convention in Calgary 2025- shared from several perspectives from Bud Hammes, Todd, Eva Marie, and Joel Restel, and Regina Siegel.
Last Week: Henry Dummer, Youth Exchange
I'm Henry from Holmen WI. When I was a sophomore, I approached my parents about going abroad. Shortly after I turned 16, I was on an international flight to Sweden, sponsored by the Downtown Rotary Club. I've returned for my senior year of high school. I had a fantastic experience and my families survived without me, even though there were doubts. I picked up new hobbies, made some amazing friends, and I can't wait to tell you about it in more detail on my 17th birthday!
Lunch this week: Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with provolone, and garden pasta salad
Coffee, ice tea, and water available.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnl if know you are bringing guests but last minute invites are also welcome!
ClubRunner Switch to ClubRunner Nova
In the next two weeks, our club will be making a software switch from ClubRunner (CR) to ClubRunner Nova. What does this mean to our members?
This new technology and infrastructure will provide a faster, more reliable, and robust platform, and as secure as ever.
If you use the CR app, you will likely need to reboot and sign back in once we make the change.
The look will be simplified for everyday member use.
Quickbooks (our invoicing software) and CR Nova will sync so you will be able to see your account balance through CR easily.
The will simplify some of our process and help with membership tracking AND MORE!
Niki has been practicing with the new system for a while and is familiar with many of the new features. We will provide more information with in the next two weeks. Thank you for your patience.
Mobile Meals Drivers Needed
We are in need of few more Mobile Meals drivers. Our club is responsible for a route one week a month. It only takes about an hour to complete. Reach out to Mike Desmond for more details, with questions, or to sign up! Thank you for your consideration.
Condolences
Razia Jan, a dynamic Afghan-born U.S. citizen and entrepreneur who, in the wake of Sept. 11, founded a school for girls outside Kabul that remains open despite the Taliban’s return to power, died on July 20 at her home in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. She was 81.
In less than one week, we’ll gather community members, leaders, and neighbors for a life-changing Poverty Simulation — an immersive activity that opens eyes, deepens empathy, and inspires action.
There’s still time to reserve your spot, but registration closes soon.
This event is designed for up to 88 participants, and we want every seat filled with people ready to better understand and help address poverty in our community.
The following community members has been proposed to become members of our club:
Walt Samanski, Relationship Manager; Business Banking at Altra; proposed by Mike Nickel.
Billy Bergeron, Castle La Crosse LLC, proposed by Chuck Hanson.
Lindsey Hammes, Baby Beluga, Lead Teacher, proposed by Alix Kost.
According to club procedure, applicant names are to be published in our weekly email bulletin for two weeks. If there are no objections from the current membership, these applications will be approved. Please contact the Club Administrator if you object to these applications by August 26th.
Welcome to Week TWO of RI’s Month of Membership & New Club Development.
A facility to collect and preserve human eye tissue was inaugurated at Joseph Eye Hospital in Tiruchirappalli, on Saturday, August 9 2025. The Rotary Eye Bank was launched on the hospital premises by T.E.L.C. Bishop A. Christian Samraj and M. Muruganandham, Rotary International director and senior officials of both organizations. According to an official press release, the eye bank was established by Rotary District 3000 and District 9127 in association with Rotary International Foundation through a grant of $53,435 (approximately ₹45,00,000) from Rotarian Arch Klumph Society (Rtn AKS) member Dr. K Srinivasan.
The eye bank will function within the hospital and aim to encourage donation of eye tissue and timely treatment. “Even after making such a huge donation, sometimes due to lack of
technology, it is not possible to treat the eyes in the best way. The eye bank has been launched to improve eye care and treatment in the Tiruchi district,” said the release.
Quick Facts: Tiruchi (Trichy, Tiruchirappali)
On the banks of the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, India
4 th largest city in Tamil Nadu (2025 pop:1,269,000)
Important military fort and capital city during the Madurai Nayak kingdom
Home to Srirangam Temple, largest Vishnu temple in the world
Major hub for engineering equipment manufacturing
Home to Sir C.V. Raman (1888-1970), famous Indian Nobel laureate in Physics (1930; light scattering).
At least 6 Rotary clubs in the city.
Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi and English among multiple other languages spoken here!
